Abstract
This Paper aims to study both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of Uzbek educational reforms and their problems after the decline of the Soviet Union. Since 1997, elementary and secondary education has been free and compulsory in Uzbekistan. Moreover, educational reform has emphasized upper secondary education, in which academic lyceums and vocational colleges were newly established in place of the previous upper secondary schools. Existing studies usually point out the successful aspects of educational reform.
However, these reforms brought about not only regional differences between rural and urban areas, but also gender gaps in educational opportunities. This paper analyzes current educational problems, based on official data and my preliminary field research in Uzbekistan in January of 2014.
First of all, the students in the capital city of Tashkent have more educational opportunities than the other areas. In addition, their opportunities extend beyond the fixed quota indicated by law. At the same time, the gross enrollment rate data reveal that the gender gap is observed only in higher education.
Second, there are regional differences in educational opportunities between urban and rural areas in the Namangan Province, a rural area in Uzbekistan. Moreover, against conventional views in Namangan, rural people emphasize the importance of education more than urban people.
In conclusion, two points are highlighted. First, there is a high degree of regional inequalities with regard to educational opportunity in Uzbekistan. Conventional wisdom and existing studies are not useful in solving these inequalities. More studies are needed. Second, the revival of Islam after independence seems to be related to both inter-regional disparities in education and the expansion of gender gaps in education. However, the Uzbek people came to accept Islam in various ways following independence. Thus, to
consider Islamic consciousness as a major cause of the nation’s education gaps remains premature. Among the problem of early marriage and childbearing, as described in this study of Namangan Province, further study is needed on educational inequality in Uzbekistan.
